EFFICIENCY OF SUGARCANE BAGASSE INOCULATED WITH MICROSPORUM AND ALTERNARIA SPECIES IN THE REMOVALOF HEAVY METALS FROM REFINERY EFFLUENT
EFFICIENCY OF SUGARCANE BAGASSE INOCULATED WITH MICROSPORUM AND ALTERNARIA SPECIES IN THE REMOVALOF HEAVY METALS FROM REFINERY EFFLUENT
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Date
2017-05
Authors
AMEH, LINDA ELSEE OFEH
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Abstract
In this study, sugarcane bagasse was inoculated with single and co-culture of Microsporum and Alternaria species to assess its efficiency in the removal of heavy metals from refinery effluent. The proximate composition of sugarcane bagasse was determined according to the method of Association of Analytical Chemist (AOAC, 2010) while the heavy metal content in the refinery effluent was determined following the method of American Public Health Association (APHA, 2005). Evaluation of the potential of sugarcane bagasse to support the growth of the test fungi was carried out using modified method of Machido et al. (2015). Sorption capacity of inoculated/uninoculated sugarcane bagasse was assessed and one-way Analysis of Variance was used to compare means. The removal rate of the heavy metals from the various treatments, were as follows: 89-92% of Pb, 86-94% of Cr and 99% of Cd. This corresponds to adsorption of: 0.9-1.0mg/g of Pb, 0.7-0.9mg/g of Cr and 1.8mg/g of Cd respectively. Uninoculated sugarcane bagasse was able to remove 90% Pb, 88% Cr and 99% Cd; inoculated bagasse with Alternaria species removed 89% Pb, 94% Cr and 99% Cd; inoculated bagasse with Microsporum species removed 92% Pb, 91% Cr and 99% Cd while inoculated bagasse with co-culture of the fungal species removed 91% Pb, 88% Cr and 99% Cd. Inoculated bagasse with Microsporum species had the highest removal of Pb and the least was recorded for inoculated bagasse with Alternaria species; inoculated bagasse with Alternaria species had the highest removal of Cr while uninoculated and inoculated bagasse with co-culture had the least. However, there was no statistical difference (P>0.05) between inoculated and uninoculated sugarcane bagasse implying that the incorporation of fungal biomass as component of the sorbents did not result in any measurable differences in the percentage or quantity of the targeted metal ions removed or adsorbed. The relative affinities of the sorbents for the targeted metal ions were also determined using the Langmuir equation.
It was noted that, all the experimental sorbents exhibited high affinity for Cr ions (b = 0.03), followed by Cd ions (b = 0.13) and Pb ions (b = 0.27).
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN MICROBIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY, FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
EFFICIENCY,, SUGARCANE,, MICROSPORUM,, ALTERNARIA SPECIES,, REMOVAL,, HEAVY METALS,, REFINERY EFFLUENT,, BAGASSE INOCULATED,